Where is Our Regional Autonomy Headed?

The 1998 Reformasi signalled the birth of a new chapter in centre-regional relations in Indonesia. Centralisation, which had dominated state administration for decades, shifted towards broader decentralisation. Regional autonomy was then positioned as an instrument for democratisation, equitable development, and strengthening public participation. However, more than two decades on, the direction of regional autonomy often resembles a pendulum swinging between pushes for decentralisation and pulls towards recentralisation. The question is, quo vadis (where is it headed)—towards which direction should the pendulum of regional autonomy be directed? The debate on regional autonomy should not stop at the dichotomy between centralisation and decentralisation. What is needed is not choosing one absolutely over the other, but formulating a constitutional balance that aligns with the identity of the Indonesian state as the Unitary Republic of Indonesia. Framework of the unitary state Regional autonomy must be understood as an instrument to strengthen, not weaken, the structure of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia. In a unitary state, sovereignty remains singular and at the national level. Regions do not possess their own sovereignty, but rather authority delegated constitutionally through the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia and laws to regulate and manage government affairs according to the principles of autonomy and auxiliary tasks. Thus, regional autonomy is not disguised federalism, let alone a path to fragmentation of authority. Autonomy is a mechanism for distributing power to enhance government effectiveness, shorten the span of public service control, and ensure policies are more responsive to local needs. In this perspective, strengthening regional autonomy must always be placed within the framework of national integration, social cohesion, and unity of national strategic policies.